He forced Gus’s head down to the seat of the chair and held him while he reached across for a cane. Gus had been beaten before. Very few boys escaped one or two floggings during their time at the workhouse; but this was different. The governor had a strong right arm, and he was furious. Gus tried to remain silent, but at the third stroke a cry was forced out of him and when he was finally allowed to straighten up his face was streaked with tears.

‘Perhaps that will teach you not to argue with your betters,’ the governor said. ‘Now you can go and stand in that corner until I dismiss you. There will be no supper for you tonight.’

Gus slept little that night, kept awake by the burning pain in his buttocks and the sound of Will’s gasping breaths. Next day he found any movement difficult. Captain Thomas soon guessed what the trouble was, but he said nothing; simply found him jobs that required the minimum of effort.

That evening at bedtime Will came over to him and drew him into a corner. ‘Mickey told me what you did. You mustn’t get involved. It won’t help. But thank you for trying.’

That should have been the end of Will’s week of penance, but the next day he was still missing from the seamanship class. When Gus saw him at supper he asked why, and Will shook his head despairingly. ‘Frobisher says I haven’t learned my lesson. He’s given me another week.’

‘What lesson?’ Gus demanded in frustration.

‘Never mind,’ Will said and turned away.

It was another three days later that he caught Gus’s arm as they went into supper. His face was deadly pale and his eyes were red and swollen.

‘Gus, I can’t go on any longer. I’ve got to get away. Will you help me?’

‘Of course,’ Gus replied, ‘but how? We’d be seen if we tried to leave during the day, and the gates are locked at night.’

‘There’s a place in the fence, near the ship, where it’s partly broken. I can’t manage it on my own, but if you can give me a leg up … I shouldn’t ask, but I don’t know what else to do.’

‘I’ll do it,’ Gus said.

‘I don’t know what the consequences might be for you, if it’s found out that you helped me,’ Will said unhappily.

‘Don’t worry about that. I’ll come with you. We’ll run away to sea, together. You’ll be all right when you get away from here.’

‘Perhaps …’ Will murmured. ‘I’ve got to try something.’

‘When?’ Gus asked.

‘Tonight, when the others are all asleep.’